True Names?

[Harlock]

I won't be getting my rulebooks for a little bit longer (I believe the bundle might have been held up while Of Gods and Monsters was on backorder) so I was curious about the concept of true names in C&C. First, is there already some existing information about true names in C&C? Second, if not, how would one work in a system similar to the version we find in The Black Company novels? For those unfamiliar, a wizard's true name is carefully hidden because someone speaking a ritual with your true name can vanquish your ability to use magic, or write your true name on a weapon to have more potency, etc. I've thought it might be a fun little dimension to add for roleplaying in a campaign world, but have never implemented it.

[Arduin]

I have the "core books" Nothing about true names. That would be setting specific I think...

[Just Jeff]

When drow first popped up as an official PC race in AD&D, a friend and I both created drow characters. We had our cool PC names (both from Dr Who in this case), but the DM loved his expansive background info on the Vault and insisted on giving us proper drow names as well. Of course, no one would have been able to spell them correctly if they'd heard them spoken, so we tucked them away as our secret true names.

I'm sure none of us gave it any more thought for quite some time, but those true names did come into play a few times over the years. My character told a few people his true name; it was a gift symbolizing his highest level of love and trust. The other character had some humorous conflict issues due to his father having the same name, eventually showing up on the surface world, and using it as his public name.

I think they only came into play in a serious way once. My character used it to summon the other character, and the DM adjudicated it on the fly. Well, now that I think about it, that happened at the end of a solo gaming session, so the DM did have time to think about how he wanted to play it. I wasn't around for the group session in which the receiving end of the summons was revealed, but I was for the next one when he answered the summons. I suspect the player was told the who and where behind the summons, and perhaps that he had a "very strong urge" to go there (or the player might have added that bit on his own). Violence and mayhem occurred en route, so I guess the player took it seriously.

Anyway, we used it very sparingly to add a little spice and depth to campaign, which made it easy to not bother with rules.

[Omote]

True name has always been, potentially, an important part of my campaigns. The lower powers need to know you true given, birth name in many instances.

~O

[Lurker]

There is no rules for true names in the books.

That said, it leaves it up to you as the CK to rule as you see fit. That is the beauty of C&C

To me it can be a critical element in the character, especially as they grow and develop. It might not be that important to an average low level fighter, but as they become more important (and get more notice from the fates) their real name starts to take hold. The character may not even know their true name, but receive it from the fates, or grow into their name.

Also I have various cultures that have different importance for true names, A Celt type is born with a geas or two tied to their name. Because of that, it behoves them to find about their name (and that the player not just make a random meaningless name - it opens the door up to me to tie some hard fates to the name )

Now you throw in magic users, their name is CRITICAL!!!! If they can summon a power, it can return the favor ... If you have a character's true name you have more power over them (negative to their saves etc)

However you want to run it, go for it

[Lord Dynel]

Welcome to the Crusade, Harlock!

As others have said, there aren't any truename resources specifically for C&C. There is some info that may or may not be of use to you - the Tome of Magic (3.5 version) provides a truname magic subsystem for D&D that's not too shabby (in my opinion, at least). Then, there are two articles in Dragon magazine - "Truenames and Fetishes: The Power and the Peril" (from #317) and "The Power of Truenames" (from #346). I think all would prove useful in setting up a truename system for C&C.

[Peter]

There is also a section on Truenames in Gary Gygax's Extraordinary Book of Names published by TLG.

[Harlock]

Thanks to all for the resources and encouragement. I do have the d20 Black Company RPG supplement as well, but it's in storage. I should get it out and see what it says as well. Again, thanks for the warm welcome and giving me some starting points!